Stacking and nesting boxes



Feb. 26, 1946. FQRDQN 2,395,542

-STACKING AND NESTING BOXES Filed May 16, 1944 V s Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.26, 1946. L. A. FORDON STACKING AND NESTING BOXES Filed May 16, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 15.5 /7. F0500 Y wwflw tion or collapse them tonesting Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s'mcxmc ANDmzs'rnvc noxas Lee A. Fol-don, Detroit, Mich. Application May 16, 1944,Serial No. 535,810 18 Claims. (Cl. 220-91) team! retained in erectedposition when .the

stacking bars are erected.

Third, to provide a structure which may be readily kept in a sanitarycondition, bottom and wall panels of "fiberboard being effectivelysupported and easily removed or inserted for replacement when theybecome soiled or broken.

Fourth, to provide a structure having these advantages which is veryeasily and quickly manipulated to bring the walls to erected stackingposisition.

Fifth, to provide astacking ox adapted for nesting which, while havingvarious metal parts for the sake of durability and to facilitate keepingin a sanitary condition, is at the same time economical and durable instructure. I

Objects relating todetails and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is deflnedin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a structure embodying my invention withthe walls adjusted to stacking position. i Fig. 2 is a perspective viewwith the wall panels andbottom panels removed, with the parts in nestingposition.

Fig- 3' is aperspective view similar to that of Fig. 1 with the wallpanels removed thereby facilitating a better illustration of structuralfeatures.

Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view with the bottom and wall panels inposition.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section with the parts innesting position."

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a pair ofboxes in nested condition.

Fig. 'l is' an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating therelationship of the wall connecting straps when the parts are in nestingposition.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view partially in horizontalsection with the parts in erected position.

Fig 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation with the parts inerected or stacking position.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation looking from the rightof Fig. 9.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated:

.I is also of wood and is secured to the under side of the horizontalflanges or end members of the bottom frame. A metal cross piece 8extends between the side members of the bottomframe, being secured tothe upper side thereof and resting on the intermediate longitudinal bar.

The side wall frames designated generally by the numeral 9 are formed ofwire to provide top members Ill, corner uprights Ii, and intermediateuprights I2. These uprights are welded to the vertical flanges of thebottom frame. I

The end members designated generally by the numeral l3 are also formedof wire and conformed to provide corner uprights I4 and intermediateuprights l5 which are welded to the vertical flanges of the bottomframe. a

The top members iii of the sidewall frames have downward offsets l 6adapted to receive the stacking bars I1, the stacking bars havingcamming engagement with the cammed surfaces l8 of the offsets 16, seeFigs. 5 and 6.

The stacking bars have arms l9 at the ends thereof pivoted at 20 on thecorner uprights of the end members and in spaced relation to the topmembers of the end wall frames so that when the stacking bars are swungto erected position they swing across the end uprights ii of the sideframes to swing the side wallsinto erected position and retain them inerected position. The arms l9 are preferably inwardly offset at 2| toprovide a camming action thereby facilitating the swinging of the partsto erected position.

Loop-like straps 22 are pivotally mounted on the corner uprights of theend members and slidably embrace the corner uprights of theside the endwall members.

The corner uprights are preferably outwardly offset at 24 to permit thetongues to lie between the adjacent uprights, as indicated in Fig. 9,these offsets also serving as stops to prevent downward movement of thestraps. However, additional stops 25 are preferably provided.

In the embodiment illustrated, when the stacking bars are collapsed atthe end walls on which they are pivotally mounted, the wallsautomatically spring out to outwardly inclined nesting position. Theadjusting of the balls to stacking position brings the walls to erectedor upright position and securely locks them in that position. The ends26 onthe pivot portions 21 serve not only to retain the pivot portionswithin the pivot ears 20 but when the parts are in erected position theyproject inwardly to constitute stops for the side wall corner uprights,see for example Fig. 3. The arms IQ of the stacking bars ride along thestraps 22 as the stacking bars are swung to erected position, thusfacilitating the erecting manipulation. Handles 28 are provided. Theside wall panels 29 are preferably integral with the bottom 30, the endwall panels 3| being preferably separate. The top pieces or bars of theside and end frames are provided with downwardly facing, channels 32adapted to receive the upper edges of the wall panels. The bottom panel30 may be longitudinally scored to facilitate the positioning of thebottom and side panels.

After the bottom and side panels are positioned with the upper edges ofthe side panels within the channels 32 the end panels 3| are insertedwith their lower edges resting upon the bottom panel 30 and their upperedges engaged with the downwardly facing end channels. The inner orsupplemental bottom 33 is preferably provided as a reinforcement for thebottom panel 30 and also its end edges engage the lower ends of the endpanels, as shown in Fig. 5. The panels may be quickly inserted orremoved as occasion may require. the side panels are cut away at 34while the upper corners of the end panels are cut away at 35 to provideopenings for the straps 22.

It will be understood that I have used the terms side" and ends" as amatter of convenience in description and while boxes of this type areusually elongated, they may be square and of any'suitable dimension, andopposed sides may be arbitrarily considered as ends and other opposedwalls arbitrarily considered as sides.

The feature of the walls automatically springing to nesting positionwhen the stacking bars are collapsed is a very desirable feature butsatisfactory results may be had when this automatic adjustment is notpresent.

I have illustrated and described my invention in an embodiment which Ihave found highly satisfactory. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myinvention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe of angled sec.- tion disposed with the angles thereof facinginwardly and upwardly, the vertical flanges being springable, side andend wall frames comprising top members and corner uprights welded attheir lower ends to the corresponding springable The uppercorners ofasoauaf flanges of said bottom frame, the top niernbersf of the sideframes having outwardly cammed downward offsets therein spaced from theends thereof and adapted to receive stacking. barsloop-like strapsslidably embracing. the corner uprights of the side wall frames andpivotally engaging the corner uprights of the end wall frames, thecorner uprights of the end 'wall' frames having offsets adjacentthe'upper ends thereof constituting supporting shoulders for the straps,the straps having tongues struck inwardly therefrom to pivotally engagethe corner uprights of the end wall frames, stacking bars provided withpivot arms at the ends thereof pivotally mounted on the corner uprightsof the end frames below the said straps, the pivot' ends of said armsbeing downwardly offset, said arms being swingable over said straps andthe adjacent corner uprights of the side frames and constituting cammembers facilitating swinging the wall frames to and supporting them in-members of the wall frames to receive the upper edges of wall panelsarranged within the wall frames, longitudinal side and intermediatebottom bars constituting shoes, the longitudinal side bottom bars beingsecured to the under sides of the horizontal flanges of the side membersof the bottom frame, the intermediate longitudinal bottom bar beingsecured to the under sides of the horizontal flanges of the end membersof the bottom frame, a bottom cross member secured at its ends tohorizontal flanges of the bottom frame side members, a combined bottomand side wall panel unit unit disposed with the upper edges of the sidewall portions thereof in engagementwithin the channels of said panelreceiving members, end wall panels disposed with their end edgesabutting the side wall panels in erected position of said wall framesand with their upper edges engaged with-- in the channels of said panelreceiving members of said end wall frames, and an auxiliary bottommember arranged within said side and end wall panels with its ends inengagement with the end wall panels for retaining them in erectedposition.

2. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the

combination of a bottom frame of angled section disposed with theangles-thereof facing inwardly and upwardly, the vertical flanges beingspringable, side and end wall frames comprising top members and corneruprights welded at their lower ends to the. corresponding springableflanges of said bottom frame, the top members of the side frames havingoutwardly cammed downward offsets therein spaced from the ends thereofand adapted to receive stacking bars, loop-like straps slidablyembracing the corner uprights of the side wall frames and pivotallyengaging the corner uprights of the end wall frames, the corner uprightsof the end wall frames having offsets adjacent the upper ends thereofconstituting supporting shoulders for the straps, the straps havingtongues struck inwardly therefrom to pivotally engage the corneruprights of the end wall frames, stacking bars provided with pivot armsat the ends thereof pivotally mounted on the comer uprights of the endframes below the said straps, the pivot ends of said arms beingdownwardly oflset, said arms being swingable over said straps and theadjacent corner uprights of the side frames and constituting cam membersfacilitating swinging the wall frames to and supporting them in erectedposition with the stacking bars in engagement with the said cammingoffsets in said side frame top members, said springable vertical flangesto which said wall frames are secured being disposed to automaticallyspring said wall frames to an outwardly inclined nesting position whensaid stacking bars are swung outwardly, and downwardly facingchannel-shaped wall panel receiving members mounted on the top membersof the wallframes adapted for removably receiving the upper edges ofseparate wall panels arranged within the wall frames.

3. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe of angled section disposed with the angles thereof facing inwardlyand upwardly, the vertical flanges being springable, side and end Wallframes comprising top members and corner uprights welded at their lowerends to the corresponding springable flanges of said bottom frame, thetop members of the side frames having outwardly cammed downward offsetstherein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to receive stackingbars, loop-like straps slidably embracing the corner uprights of theside wall frames and pivotally engaging the corner uprights of the endwall frames, the corner uprights of the end wall frames having offsetsadjacent the upper ends thereof constituting supporting shoulders forthe straps, the straps having tongues struck inwardly therefrom topivotally engage the corner uprights of the end wall frames, and stackinbars provided with pivot arms at the ends thereof pivotally mounted onthe corner uprights of the end frames below the said straps, the pivotends of said arms being downwardly offset, said arms being swingableover said straps and the adjacent corner uprights of the side frames andconstituting cam members facilitating swinging the wall frames to andsupporting them in erected position with the stacking bars in engagementwith the said camming'offsets in said side frame top members, saidspringable vertical flanges to which said wall frames are secured beingdisposed to automatically spring said wall frames to an outwardlyinclined nesting position when said stacking bars are swung outwardly.

4. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the

combination of a bottom frame of angled section disposed with the anglesthereof facing in-- wardly and upwardly, the vertical flanges beingspringable, side and end wall frames comprising top members and corneruprights welded at their lower ends to the corresponding springable'flanges of said bottom frame, the top members of the side frames havingoutwardly cammed downward offsets therein spaced from the ends thereofand adapted to receive stacking bars, stacking bars provided with pivotarms at the ends thereof pivotally mounted on the corner uprights of theend frames and swingable over the adjacent corner uprights of the sideframes and constituting cam members facilitating swinging the wallframes to and supporting them in erected position with the stacking barsin engagement with the said camming offsets in said side frame topmembers, said wall frames being swingable to an outwardly inclinednestthe channels of said panel receiving members,

end wall panels disposed with their end edges abutting the side wallpanels in erected position of said wall frames and with their upperedges engaged within the channels of said panel receiving members ofsaid end wall frames, and an auxiliary bottom member arranged withinsaid side and end wall panels with its ends in engagement with the endwall panels for retaining them in erected position.

5. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe of angled section disposed with the angles thereof facing inwardlyand upwardly, the vertical flanges being springable, sideand end wallframes comprising top members and corner uprights welded at their lowerends to the, corresponding springable flanges of said bottom frame, thetop members -of the side frames having outwardly cammed downward offsetstherein spaced from the ends thereof and adapted to receive stackingbars, stacking bars provided with pivot arms at the ends thereofpivotally mounted on the corner uprights of the end frames and swingableover the adjacent corner uprights of the side frames and constitutingcam members facilitating swinging the wall frames to and supporting themin erected position with the stacking bars in engagement with the saidcamming offsets in said side frame top members, said wall frames beingswingable to an outwardly inclined nesting position when said stackingbars are swung outwardly, and downwardly facing channelshaped wall panelreceiving members mounted on the topmembers of the wall frames adaptedfor removably receiving the upper edges of separate wall panels arrangedwithin the wall frames. I l,

6. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe of angled section disposed with the angles thereof facing inwardlyand upwardly, the vertical flanges being springable, side and end wallframes comprising top members and corner uprights welded at their lowerends to the corresponding springable flanges of said bottom frame, thetop members of the side frames having outwardly cammed downward offsetstherein spaced from the ends" them in erected position with the stackingbars in engagement with the said camming offsets in said side frame topmembers, said wall frames being swingable to an outwardly-inclinednesting position when said stacking bars are swung outwardly.

7. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end wall frames carried by said bottom frame. saidbottom frame and wall frames having resilient connecting means toautomatically spring said wall frames to outwardly inclined positionswhen unrestrained, said side and end wall frames comprising top membersand corner uprights, the top members having cammed offset adjacent theends thereof, straps pivotally engaging the corner uprights of the endwalls and slidably engaging the outer sides of the comer uprights of theside walls for limiting the outward movement of the wall frames,stacking bars provided with pivot arms at the ends thereof pivotallymounted on the comer uprights of the end frames below said straps andswingable over said straps and the adjacent corner uprights of the sideframes to engage said stacking bars with said offsets and acting toholdthe side wall frames in erected position when the stacking bars arein operative stacking position, the wall frames automatically swingingto outwardly inclined nesting position when the stacking bars are swungoutwardly, the top members of said side and end wall frames beingprovided with downwardly facing wall panel receiving channels, andremovable side wall panels notched at the corners to receive saidstraps, the upper edges of the side wall panels being detachablyengageable with said channels.

8. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end wall frames carried by said bottom frame, saidbottom frame and wall frames having resilient connecting means toautomatically spring said wall frames to outwardly inclined positionswhen unrestrained, said side and end wall frames comprising top membersand corner uprights, the top members having cammed offsets adjacent theends thereof, stacking bars provided with pivot arms at the ends thereofpivotally mounted on the corner uprights of the end frames and swingableover the adjacent corner uprights of the side frames to engage saidstacking bars with said offsets and acting to hold the side wall framesin erected position when the stacking bars are in operative stackingposition, the wall frames automatically swinging to outwardly inclinednesting position when the stacking bars are swung outwardly, the topmembers of said side and end wall frames being provided with downwardlyfacing wall panel receiving channels, and removable side wall panels,the upper edges of the side wall panels being detachably engageable withsaid channels.

9. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end wall frames carried by said bottom frame, saidbottom frame and wall frames having resilient connecting means toautomatically spring said wall frames to outwardly inclined positionswhen unrestrained, said side and end wall frames comprising top membersand corner uprights, the top members having cammed offsets adjacent theends thereof, straps pivotally engaging the corner uprights of the endwalls and slidably engaging the outer sides of the corner uprights ofthe side walls for limiting-the outward movement of the wall frames, andstacking bars provided with pivot arms at the ends thereof pivotallymounted on the corner uprights of the end frames below said straps andswingable over said straps and the adjacent corner uprights of the sideframes to engage said stacking bars with said offsets and acting to holdthe side wall frames in erected position when the stacking bars are inoperative stacking position, the wall frames automatically swinging tooutwardly inclined nesting position when the stacking bars are swungoutwardly.

10. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end wall 7 frames carried by said bottom frame,saidbottom frame and wall frames having resilient connecting means toautomatically spring said well frames to outwardly inclined positionswhen unrestrained, said side and end wall frames comprising top membersand corner uprights, the top members having cammed offsets adjacent theends thereof, and stacking bars provided with pivot arms at the endsthereof pivotally mounted on the corner uprights of the end frame andswingable over the adjacent corner-uprights of the side frames to engagesaid stacking bars with said offsets and acting to hold the side wallframes in erected position when the stacking bars are in operativestacking position, the'wall frames automatically swinging to outwardlyinclined nesting position when the stacking bars are swung outwardly.

11. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end walls connected to said bottom frame, said bottomframe and wall frames having resilient connecting means to automaticallyspring said wall frames to outwardly inclined positions when released,straps connecting the adjacent ends of the side and end walls to limitthe outward swing thereof, and stacking bars pivotally mounted on theend walls to swing to the outer sides thereof and swingable over theside walls, and means including said straps connecting said walls andstacking bars whereby the swinging of the stacking bars to operativestacking position acts to swing the walls to erected position.

12. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end walls connected to said bottom frame, said bottomframe and wall frames having resilient connecting means to automaticallyspring said wall frames to outwardly inclined positions when released,and stacking bars pivotally mounted on the end walls to swing to theouter sides thereof and swingable over the side walls, and meansconnected to said stacking bars and to said side and end walls wherebythe movement of the stacking bars to operative stacking position and themovement of the walls to erected position may be simultaneouslyeffected.

13. In a stacking box adapted for nesting. the combination of a bottomframe, side and end walls connected to said bottom frame to swingoutwardly to an inclined nesting position, straps connecting the wallsto limit the outward swing thereof, and stacking bars mounted on the endwalls to swing to the outer sides thereof and swingable over the sidewalls, and means including said straps connecting said walls andstacking bars whereby the swinging of the stacking bars to erectedposition acts to swing the walls to operative stacking position, andmeans including said bottom frame and said side and end walls forautomatically swinging said walls to outwardly inclined nesting positionwhen the stacking bars are swung outwardly.

14. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomframe, side and end walls connected to said bottom frame to swingoutwardly to an inclined nesting position, and stacking bars mounted onthe end walls to swing to the outer sides thereof and swingable over theside walls, and means connected to said stacking bars and to said sideand end walls whereby the movement of the stacking bars to operativestacking position and the movement of the walls to erected positionmaybe simultaneously effected.

15. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination ofa bottomframe, side and end walls connected to said bottom frame to swingoutwardly to an inclined nesting position, straps connecting theadjacent ends of the side and end walls, and stacking bars pivotallmounted on the end walls to swing to the outer sides thereof andswingable across said straps to facilitate the swinging of the sidewalls to erected position.

16. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the combination of a bottomstructure, wall structures associated with the bottom structure, said Iwall structures being resiliently connected to said bottom structure toautomatically spring outwardly to inclined nesting position whenreleased, connections for the adjacent ends of the side and end wallsfor limiting the outward swinging thereof, and stacking bars adjustablymounted on one pair of opposed wall structures for engagement with theother pair of opposed wall structures when the stacking bars are inoperative stacking position, the stacking bars acting to hold the wallstructures in erected position when the stacking bars are in stackingposition.

17. In a stacking box adapted for nesting, the

combination of a bottom structure, wall structures associated with thebottom structure, said wall structures being connected to said bottomstructure to swing outwardly to inclined nestingposition, connectionsfor the adjacent ends of the side and end walls for limiting the outwardswinging thereof, and stacking bars adjustably mounted on one pair ofopposed wall structures to be adjusted for engagement with the otherpair of opposed wall structures when the stacking bars are in operativestacking position, the stacking bars acting to hold the wall structuresin erected position when the stacking bars are in stacking position.

18. In a stacking box for nesting, the combina- I tion of a bottomstructure, wall structures associated with the bottom structure, saidwall structures being connected to said bottom structure to swing.outwardly to inclined nesting position, and stacking bars adiustablymounted on one pair of opposed wall structures to be adjusted forengagement with the other pair of opposed wall structures when thestacking bars are in operative stacking position, the stacking barsacting to hold the wall structures in erected position when the stackingbars are in stacking position.

' LEE A. FORDON.

